It’s hard to believe that the FIFA football game from EA Sports has been with us for three whole decades now. Back in 1993 when it was first released it was a very different game to the one that players enjoy today.
But over the years it has evolved into what many feel is the very best soccer game there is and each September the new edition is hotly anticipated by the estimated 8 million players all around the world.
It has managed to retain this following by consistently evolving and developing the game, introducing new features and quietly putting to rest others that have proved to be less popular.
However, after the release of FIFA 23 it was announced that the licensing agreement with soccer’s world governing body had come to an end, leading to a new branding for the game.
So from this point forward the game is to be known as EA Sports FC with the suffix of the year following its release. This means that the game that we are all waiting for, and which is set to be released at some point in September 2023 will be called EA Sports FC 24.
Why the split from FIFA?
It might seem odd that after such a long and mutually beneficial relationship EA Sports and FIFA should part company. However it has all come down to that driving force in many sports – money.
It’s thought that no agreement could be reached over the amount of licensing rights that EA Sports should pay to use the FIFA name.
Not only might this be a blow for EA Sports right now, it could herald further trouble along the way. This is because FIFA president Gianni Infantino has suggested that the organisation is working with another leading developer on a rival game. What’s more, he has stated that “the only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans”.
On the other hand, some see this split as a huge opportunity for EA Sports.
What Can We Expect from the New Game?
EA Sports have been understandably reluctant to go into very specific details about how the game will evolve – they want to keep as much information under wraps so they can engineer a big reveal.
They have, however, released a trailer for the game that promises that it will be a far more intimate playing experience. In the trailer it shows teams in their changing rooms preparing for a big game with an inspiring voiceover inviting fans to share in the anticipation.
It’s all encapsulated by the final tagline “Welcome to the club” so it could be that they are already trying to create a clear distance between the EA Sports game and the FIFA rival, whenever that may emerge.
It’s also highly likely that they will aim to make the game even more realistic than ever before and this could involve the opportunity to bet online on the outcome of games, at least for fun if not actual money, something that millions of football fans do in the real world every day.
Popular features of the game that are also thought to be receiving a major makeover include the Career mode in which you can follow a player’s progression through the leagues and Ultimate Team.
On the technical side, it’s almost certain that the new game will allow cross-play taking in all of the major platforms at least across FUT Division Rivals, FUT Champions, FUT Online Friendlies, Online Seasons and Online Friendlies features.
There are also certain technical glitches in the actual gameplay that will, hopefully, be ironed out in the new version.
One thing that we can confirm right now is the cover star for the standard edition. Following Manchester City’s triumphant treble in the 2022-23 season it’s no wonder that their striker Erland Haarling makes his first appearance.
The Ultimate Cover Story
EA Sports have also given a preview of the cover for the Ultimate Edition, with more limited success. Showing 31 players, one for each year of the game, some fans have ridiculed how inaccurate certain portraits are.
Singled out for particular criticism are the images of Ronaldinho and Bukayo Saka who have been dubbed “unrecognizable”.
Luckily, there may still be time to put things right for the actual launch of the game, but EA Sports should take this as a warning about how demanding and vocal the players of the game really are.
So the stakes are certainly going to be high when the new game is released. But the track record of success shown by EA Sports means they should be ready to answer any critics now, and for many seasons to come.
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